Alcoy: Nature, Industry and a Jewel of Art Nouveau
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Alcoy: Nature, Industry and a Jewel of Art Nouveau ROUTE SP 2 Presentation of the route Some geographical spaces can define not only the characteristics inherent to a place but also the trades which are practiced therein, and in short, they constitute the seeds of the present of a place, of its people and of their occupations. A paradigmatic example is the city of Alcoy, where industry and its peculiar orography, together with its natural environment, have been decisive both in its history and in its industrial, economic and social evolution which led it to become a jewel of Art Nouveau. Due to the particular orography on which Alcoy is situated, it comes as a surprise to check that it was the location where the first Valencian industrialisation took place and one of the first industrial poles in the Iberian Peninsula, even disputing industrial supremacy with the city of Barcelona itself, the industrial engine being the driving force behind the transformation of the social fabric and the urban architecture, which today allows us to enjoy a valuable heritage both in industrial premises and in Art Nouveau buildings that take us to times which witnessed serious social conflicts during those convulsed years of the industrial revolution. The urban route we proposed is 3.7 kilometres long and designed following an 8-shape. If your time is limited, we recommend you go from point 2, directly to point 12. Point 22 has a pronounced steep and it is not recommended for wheelchairs. There is an alternative route at this point. HeiM – Heritage in Motion Innovative methodologies for adult education in cultural heritage and active ageing PAGE 2 ALCOY: NATURE, INDUSTRY AND A JEWEL OF ART NOUVEAU - ROUTE SP 2 WAYPOINTS Pza. de España. Llotja de Santa Jordi (Santiago Calatrava) ........................................................... 4 Town Hall ......................................................................................................................................... 4 Plaça de Dins ................................................................................................................................... 4 Placeta de les Xiques ...................................................................................................................... 5 City Expo-Museum (Former St. George Textile Dyes Factory) ........................................................ 5 River Riquer Walk: ancient factories and nature .............................................................................. 5 Alicante Province Consortium Firefigthers´Museum (former textile factory) .................................... 6 Museum of Moors and Christians Festivities: El Casal de St. Jordi ................................................. 6 The Coal Square (Pza. del Carbó) ................................................................................................... 6 Torre de Na Valora: a viewpoint for the surronding nature .............................................................. 7 Timoteo Briet´s apartment homes (1915-1920) ............................................................................... 7 Old Fire Station (1914) ..................................................................................................................... 8 C/Sant Nicolau, 4 (1910), designed by Vicente Pascual .................................................................. 8 C/ Sant Nicolau, 9, Vicente Pascual (1901 or 1905) ........................................................................ 8 The House of the Turkey (1908), designed by Vicente Pacual ........................................................ 9 Círculo Industrial (1904), designed by Timoteo Briet ....................................................................... 9 The 'Bolla' House (1890): Ancient headquarters of the Royal Cloth Factory.................................... 9 C/ Sant Nicolau, 29 (1905-1908), designed by Vicente Pascual .................................................... 10 C/ Sant Nicolau, 32 (1901), designed by Timoteo Briet ................................................................. 10 C/ Sant Nicolau, 37 Casa de Rita Santonja, designed by Timoteo Briet ........................................ 11 La Glorieta (19th c.): A Pre-Art-Nouveau Park ............................................................................... 11 Gurugú Steep Street ...................................................................................................................... 11 Monte de Piedad (1909), designed by Vicente Pascual ................................................................. 12 Valencia's Polytechnic University (Ferrándiz and Carbonell Former Factories) ............................. 12 C/ Joan Cantó, 10 (1907), designed by Vicente Pascual ............................................................... 13 C/ Joan Cantó, 8 (1906), designed by Vicente Pascual ................................................................. 13 Escaló's House (1906): Municipal Conservatory of Music ............................................................. 13 Av. Pais Valencià, 30 (1911), designed by Jorge Vilaplana Carbonell ........................................... 14 Laporta's house (1905), designed by Timoteo Briet ....................................................................... 14 HeiM – Heritage in Motion Innovative methodologies for adult education in cultural heritage and active ageing ALCOY: NATURE, INDUSTRY AND A JEWEL OF ART NOUVEAU - ROUTE SP 2 PAGE 3 Former Bank of Spain: Cultural Center .......................................................................................... 15 The Chamber of Commerce and the University of Alicante site (Former Vicens Bank) ................. 15 HeiM – Heritage in Motion Innovative methodologies for adult education in cultural heritage and active ageing PAGE 4 ALCOY: NATURE, INDUSTRY AND A JEWEL OF ART NOUVEAU - ROUTE SP 2 Monument Pza. de España. Llotja de Santa Jordi (Santiago Calatrava) The Plaza de España, the starting point of this route, is not only a place where we can find some of the most outstanding monuments in the city but also a relevant location for all the local festivities. The Neoclassical style dominates the square, as the Art Nouveau style arrived later in 1904. The square is a gathering point where the visitor can enjoy the Art Nouveau Fair in September or the Moors and Christian Festivities which boast the textile power of the city with their outstanding costumes. Santiago Calatrava designed an underground cultural venue (la Llotja), on the site of a former air-raid shelter from the times of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). It was inaugurated in 1995 and it is usually open at 11:00 a.m. Its neo-futurist style is inspired in Art Nouveau, especially in the use of natural elements (i.e. a whale skeleton), although the architect refuses the Art Nouveau use of colour in favour of minimalist pure whites. Monument Town Hall The Town Hall was built between 1846 and 1863 in the neoclassical style. It contains paintings and sculptures by local artists, the most popular of which is entitled "l'Arrastrà de Pelletes" (the dragging of Pelletes); and depicts the events occurred during the 1873 Oil Revolution, which was the first anarcho-syndicalist revolt in the world and the first general strike in the Valencian Region. Agustín Albors, aka. Pelletes, was the mayor at that time. He died during the siege of the Town Hall, when workers took the Town Hall over. The picture is hung over the main stairs as a warning that public administrations must work for their town. Monument Plaça de Dins The Plaza de Dins (“Inner Square”) was built halfway through the 19th century in the space occupied by the cloister of the former fourteenth- century Saint Augustine Convent. A gothic arch of the church that used to stand next to the convent is still preserved at the access from Saint Thomas Street. The architect in charge of the neoclassical refurbishment and extension of the square was the Alcoy-born Josep Moltó i Valor, who also designed the Banca Vicens building in 1881.The neoclassical style HeiM – Heritage in Motion Innovative methodologies for adult education in cultural heritage and active ageing ALCOY: NATURE, INDUSTRY AND A JEWEL OF ART NOUVEAU - ROUTE SP 2 PAGE 5 was the dominant architectonic style during the Industrial Revolution period. Castle Placeta de les Xiques On our way to Placeta de les Xiques, we can see examples of the rapid urban development of Alcoy during industrial times. Those cheap constructions were erected to accommodate the growing population attracted by the work opportunities offered by the factories. Many buildings have been demolished due to the poor quality of construction materials. The square forms part of the medieval complex that was restored in the 1980s. It still keeps a stretch of wall and was formerly known as the square of the prostitutes. Museum City Expo-Museum (Former St. George Textile Dyes Factory) Installed in an old textile factory stands the Expo-museum of the city “Explora”. The centre takes visitors on a visual journey through the city, from its origins right through to modern times, highlighting the most relevant aspects of its history, Art Nouveau, industrial heritage, natural surroundings, festivities and traditions. River River Riquer Walk: ancient factories and nature Once we leave the City Museum and move towards the Provincial Firemen Museum, we will take a short walk following the Riquer River, along els Tints Street. Around this area, we can